Numbers not important, but feel is – Mazda MX-5 chief

mx-5 27

The latest Mazda MX-5 is over 100 kg lighter than before, has perfect 50:50 weight distribution and is very desirable to enthusiasts, but some complain that the NA-only roadster (155 hp/200 Nm 2.0L or 129 hp/150 Nm 1.5L) is not fast enough. They would probably have said the same about Japan’s other great driver’s car, the Toyota 86.

Well, speed is not everything and you’re missing the point. “It’s important not to get hung up on numbers. Not on power, or torque. No, what is more important is the feeling. The driving experience and feeling is more important than power. In my mind it just has to be fun to drive,” MX-5 programme manager Nobuhiro Yamamoto told Top Gear.

Yamamoto san, who was behind Mazda’s Le Mans-winning 787B prototype, also said that the ND won’t get more engine derivatives, meaning what you see now is what you will get, full stop. Want something more hardcore? The MX-5 Club is the max.

“We had five philosophies when developing the new MX-5. One, it has to be a front-midship car. Second, it has to have a compact body and be an open-topped two seater. Third, it has to have 50:50 front-to-rear weight distribution. Fourth, there must be low inertia movement. Five, it’s got to be affordable. Faster MX-5s means more money,” the sifu explained.

TG continued pressing, this time on forced induction. “I never considered using a turbo, because naturally aspirated engines are just nice, especially for this kind of car. What’s very important to me is the feeling, and that you are happy driving it. I don’t want any more power or torque for the MX-5, but the sensation is important,” Yamamoto stressed.

I’ll have to stop nodding now, as the couple from the next table is starting to give me strange looks. Kanpai, Yamamoto san.

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Danny Tan

Danny Tan loves driving as much as he loves a certain herbal meat soup, and sweet engine music as much as drum beats. He has been in the auto industry since 2006, previously filling the pages of two motoring magazines before joining this website. Enjoys detailing the experience more than the technical details.

 

Comments

  • tralalala on Jul 02, 2015 at 5:30 pm

    Oh what a beauty! I’ll be watching you.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 1
    • TSi240 on Jul 02, 2015 at 9:22 pm

      Prefer turbo engine, no need to slam the pedal harder to feel the torquey engine. Just put foot like having some rest and you go like boss.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 15
      • Add-A-Comment on Jul 03, 2015 at 9:27 am

        You obviously DO NOT KNOW cars and DO NOT KNOW how to enjoy driving a car. Leave Paul Tan blog alone. Go back to your room and continue modifying you R34 (if you know which car I am talking) to 1000hp in your Gran Turismo 3 on your PS2 (if you have one)…

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 9 Thumb down 0
        • Same L0rrrr on Jul 03, 2015 at 12:19 pm

          If you talking on “feeling”, Iriz probably would be the world best car since the Proton fanboys feel so great with it, part of their Sendiri Cakap Sendiri Syok practice.

          We should focus on figures and feeling too, where people prefer our 86.

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 7 Thumb down 9
  • Obviously (Member) on Jul 02, 2015 at 5:33 pm

    In a world offering increasingly more horsepower, more torque, more this and more that, it’s refreshing that Mazda defied that convention and stuck to the recipe of purity that made the MX-5 the success it is in the first place.

    And there’s been news that the next generation 86/BRZ will be using the MX-5’s chassis. This just affirms how right Mazda’s got it.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 18 Thumb down 0
    • vroooomm on Jul 02, 2015 at 9:25 pm

      Take a look on one of 5th gear review,those Mazdaspeed(ster?) is lesser fun driving with those safety tech on. Cannot beat real conti cars.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 3
  • Areyousure on Jul 02, 2015 at 5:35 pm

    Why not just fit your rotary engine? Then MX-5 no longer a half-baked “sportscar”

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 8
    • Areyoueducated? on Jul 02, 2015 at 8:35 pm

      Half baked in what sense? Is the MX-5’s agile, nimble and brilliantly light chassis not good enough for greater speed and agility? It’s no point having huge power when the car steers like a cargo ship. Having more power, means heavier engine, more components and heavier materials for rigidity and you end up with a dog’s breakfast much like the BMW Z4. Now that’s a half baked show pony if anything.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 15 Thumb down 0
      • Obviously (Member) on Jul 03, 2015 at 12:14 am

        Those who decry the MX-5 for having too little power probably have never had the chance to drive one before or are those who don’t appreciate the linearity of a good NA engine.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 11 Thumb down 0
  • Zoom Zoom on Jul 02, 2015 at 5:44 pm

    Yes fun to drive with good handling is important.. if come with more power is even better!! is always more fun to drive a lambo/ferarri with > 300 hp than a 1.5N/A 129hp lambo/ferarri.. lol

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 14
    • Areyoueducated? on Jul 02, 2015 at 8:37 pm

      … And the MX-5 overtakes the lambo around the tight turns…

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 15 Thumb down 2
  • Maybe they are swingers who checked you out on tinder

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
  • CY Lok on Jul 02, 2015 at 5:50 pm

    Definitely a nice car…. too bad in Malaysia it is no longer a affordable range.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 18 Thumb down 0
  • kennyjay on Jul 02, 2015 at 6:00 pm

    those complaints must be coming from naive Americans who judge a car based on output figures.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 9 Thumb down 0
  • W204 C63 AMG on Jul 02, 2015 at 8:04 pm

    The official 0-100 for the 2.0L is 6 secs for US spec car, probably running on premium fuel. Not too shabby though, I guess the weight helps.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 0
    • realsportcar on Jul 02, 2015 at 9:26 pm

      Handling is too dependant on safety gadgets, boring.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 3
      • Obviously (Member) on Jul 03, 2015 at 12:23 am

        In what way is it dependent on safety gadgets for handling? The car has no adaptive dampers, unlike most German performance cars nowadays. Does that make German sports cars like the Porsche 911 GT3 boring, too? The MX-5 also doesn’t seem to have those fancy-schmancy brake-based “torque vectoring” systems used to give not-so-agile cars a semblance of agility (I believe Mazda would advertise it if they did); the MX-5 does all it does with fine chassis tuning. This is one of the rawest sports cars in this day and age.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 11 Thumb down 0
      • rally_fan (Member) on Jul 03, 2015 at 8:43 am

        you have confused handling with safety. All the best safety gadgets and features in a car will still not make it a great handling and fun to drive car. and its a well known fact.. cars do not need power to be fun to drive.. and “fun to drive” does not equate to just driving fast in a straight line.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 0
        • kazanixm on Jul 03, 2015 at 3:09 pm

          was looking for this. Some people they feel it is ‘fun’ when overtaking in high speed straight line. What Yamamoto-san envisioned probably is this car to drive thru mountain area; tackling corners with open top i guess

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 0
  • choha on Jul 02, 2015 at 8:05 pm

    good, speed kills!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • mx5slow on Jul 02, 2015 at 9:29 pm

      Can’t go so fast on track so it’s safe, however cannot win
      Haha!

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 4
  • then bring the manual MX5 here…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 1
  • Lapti nek on Jul 02, 2015 at 10:46 pm

    Of course they’d say that wouldn’t they?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 1
  • nabill (Member) on Jul 02, 2015 at 11:48 pm

    definatly agree , this kinda reminds me of how ppl think more megapixels on a camera is better than less megapixels…!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 1
  • Jimmy M on Jul 03, 2015 at 12:44 am

    Had a 6 speed ’04 for 5 years and simply got tired of rowing through the gearbox seeking some torque. Switched to a BoxsterS. Problem solved and no loss of handling or breaking. 30-35 more bhp would make it tolerable. Turbo is unnecessary with some factory tuning.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 3
  • loser on Jul 03, 2015 at 1:31 am

    loser who can’t make a fast car… they just can’t keep up with the number then call it not important.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 17
    • watchman on Jul 03, 2015 at 7:34 am

      you, loser, is a moron, beside being a loser. more torque, more horsepower ? just ask the Americans, they are obsessed with that. most established car companies know and can afford to give more horsepower. it is a matter of the getting the right balance and refinement, not just power for power sake, unless drag race is all you know about. where did you crawl from, a Siberian cave ?

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 1
    • Lapti nek on Jul 03, 2015 at 8:49 am

      Exactly! This guy is taking a leaf out of steve job’s marketing book

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 1
    • Obviously (Member) on Jul 03, 2015 at 2:49 pm

      What are you braining? They can always shoehorn a bigger engine into the MX-5 if they want to. That’ll make the engine bay bigger but, hey, more power! That’ll throw off the meticulously honed balance of the car but, hey, more power! They have a strong 2.5L petrol and 2.2L diesel. If it’s all about the numbers, they have the equipment to back it up. If you dig back far enough, you’ll see that power has never been the primary focus of the MX-5. It has always been superb handling and the roadster experience at an affordable (disclaimer: not in Malaysia) price.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 1
  • This car is perfect in weight. For the performance, they not prefer bigger engine because the weight ratio will be different. Why not they produce 1.2 skyactiv turbo. Then this car will be good in corners & straight. If they can squeeze 200HP under the bonnet, this will able to run with modified AE86.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
  • benzs on Jul 03, 2015 at 1:58 pm

    Mazda MX5 legacy reborn. All the time they went for small CC and NA. This car is mainly for those who feel enjoying life without the need of powerful engine. But some might not agreed with its concept which provide lower power CC. It depend to whom MX5 target for.. Most Malaysian will never enjoy any car from other country. We mainly know the reason of heavy taxation. Even MX5 brought in from Jpn as recond, price wise is still expensive. This day, japan isn’t want their 2 door car to be fast but enjoy driving it as daily usage. Example of T.86 and now M.MX5. Except N brand.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • Nelson on Jul 04, 2015 at 1:01 pm

    I wonder where can test drive MX5 in Malaysia. I remember 10years back I saw a MX5 in USA, the car is so SMALL.

    The picture looks so sexy. Can’t resist it.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
 

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